TEAM TALK
- Andy Hart reports New England’s defense is preparing to deal with Atlanta’s two-head backfield monster.
- Paul Perillo writes how Super Bowl Media Night kicked off n Houston and the offensive line is preparing to deal with Vic Beasley.
- Erik Scalavino hears from Dwight Freeney, how he relishes the Brady-Patriots rivalry.
- John Rooke Nitpicks and Nitwits: Silencing the critics and sounding off to everyone else.
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Videos - Best of Super Bowl Opening Night: Patriots - Bill Belichick - Tom Brady - LeGarrette Blount - Martellus Bennett - Devin McCourty - Julian Edelman. Plus, Brady and Matt Ryan.
LOCAL LINKS
- Ben Volin picks the top five X's and O's storylines for Super Bowl LI.
- Evan Lazar takes a look at how for both teams, first-quarter success is key.
- Evan Lazar charts the score differential by quarter this season, for the Patriots and Falcons.
- Karen Guregian finds that for the Patriots, knowing the details of the rule book can pay off.
- Alex Basalyga (AllThreePhases) The 2016 New England Patriots, A team of destiny?
- Michael Hurley speaks with Dante Scarnecchia about the little-heralded but big-impact improvements in the play of the Patriots offensive line
- Scott O'Neil (BostonSportsPub) The New England Patriots can run all over the Falcons in the Super Bowl.
- Steve Buckley writes that, he and Tom Brady wholeheartedly agree about the value of having a father play a role in your life.
- Michael Hurley relays how Danny Amendola describes Patriots fans in one simple sentence.
- Mike Reiss mentions how to Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long is 'like the brother I've never had.'
- Mike Reiss highlights the Patriots' spirited send-off rally, that had some fans arriving as early as 3:30 am.
- Ryan Hannable shares his running diary with the sights and sounds from an eventful NFL Opening Night at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
- Ryan Hannable notes Dont’a Hightower calls Jamie Collins his favorite defensive player in NFL, adding ‘it sucked’ seeing him get traded.
- Ian Logue (PatsFans) According to Cris Carter, Patriots DT Alan Branch is who you need to know.
- Jerry Thornton (Barstool Sports) Here's where I take the "Patriots haven't beaten anybody" argument and science the sh*t out of it.
- Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Here are the most interesting characters from Super Bowl LI media night.
- Ron Borges talks with Bill Parcells, who is watching Bill Belichick's success with pride.
- Michael Hurley hears Robert Kraft try and pull a positive out of the rotten situation that was deflategate:"I think in a way that galvanized our whole team."
- Kevin McNamara writes how Scott Zolak has become a true-blue cult hero in New England.
- Jeff Howe talks up Robert Kraft's patience and loyalty in an NFL 'win-now-or-else' environment.
- Ryan Hannable highlights Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff on WEEI: "This team doesn’t go into the game feeling they are playing the bad ass Patriots that they can’t go toe-to-toe with."
- Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Did Dan Quinn deny Bill Belichick a bro hug?
NATIONAL NEWS
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Patriots-Falcons will be decided by 5 key matchups.
- Bucky Brooks* (NFL.com) Super Bowl LI: Five-part plan for New England Patriots to prevail.
- Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The Patriots defense is built to stop the Falcons offense.
- Nunzio Ingrassia (Fox Sports) Watch the Patriots arrive in Houston for Super Bowl LI.
- Judy Battista (NFL.com) Patriots, Falcons hit Super Bowl LI as different (yet similar) teams.
- Steve Palazzolo (Pro Football Focus) Tom Brady’s six Super Bowl performances, ranked by PFF grade.
- Kerry Byrne (FootballNation) Every time Tom Brady takes a snap Sunday he'll set a new playoff record.
- Mike Tanier (Bleacher Report) Monday Morning Digest: Brady vs. Goodell and other key Super Bowl matchups.
- Staff (ESPN Stats & Information) Where Tom Brady ranks all time in every statistic.
- Kenneth Arthur (Sports on Earth) Tom Brady's Super Bowl TDs, ranked.
- Jenny Vrentas (The MMQB) LeGarrette Blount: From one stoplight to the Super Bowl spotlight.
- Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) Patriots' Chris Hogan took circuitous route to unlikely rise.
- Jared Dubiin (CBS Sports) Who's the most indispensable non-QB for Patriots, Falcons?
- Ross Tucker (Sports on Earth) 'Patriot Way' still going strong: Only the Patriots can turn castoffs into stars.
- David Steele (Sporting News) Bill Belichick set to move into rarefied coaching air — with or without Super Bowl win.
- Mike Lupica (Sports on Earth) King of the coaching hill? It's Bill.
- Sean Wagner-McGough (CBS Sports) Bill Belichick not wasting time on 'science experiments' like 2015.
- Terence Moore (Sports on Earth) Tears & cheers: SB 51's Opening Night.
- Staff (AP) Patriots owner Kraft pulls some punches, throws others.
- Will Leitch (Sports on Earth) Roger, I have some questions.
- Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Ranking every Super Bowl starter for Patriots vs. Falcons.
- Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Devonta Freeman is ready to get paid after Super Bowl.
- Jarrett Bell (USA Today) Super Bowl meeting with Patriots brings Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff full circle.
- Dieter Kurtenbach (Fox Sports) Greg Jennings explains why the Falcons’ offense won’t be intimidated by the Patriots.
- Chris Chase (Fox Sports) Ranking the Super Bowl host cities, from worst to first.
- Tom Gatto (Sporting News) Super Bowl Opening Night: Arthur Blank name-drops Donald Trump on Robert Kraft.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Bill Belichick, Tom Brady avoid questions on politics.
- Staff (SI) Super Bowl Media Day over the years.
- Scott Ridge (Sporting News0 Rex Ryan lands TV gig with ESPN.
- Jim Weber (Awful Announcing) Your Super Bowl LI announcer drinking game.
- Brent Schrotenboer (USA Today) Super Bowl ad rejected by NFL amid questions.
- David Steele (Sporting News) Super Bowl 51: Picks, predictions, odds for Patriots-Falcons.
- Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) Sporting News NFL awards 2016: Players of the year, All-Pro Team, more.
DEFLATEGATE, DUMPSTER DIVE
- Cody Lachance (AllThreePhases) Why a Patriots Super Bowl victory is just what Roger Goodell wants.
- Trenni Kusnierek says that she hopes for an interrogation-like press conference when Roger Goodell addresses the media on Wednesday.
- Ben Rohrbach (Yahoo! Sports) Patriots owner Bob Kraft explains the reason behind his loyalty to Donald Trump.
- Danny Kanell and Ryen Russill (ESPN) Are the Patriots the most hated team in recent memory? (1.56 min. video)
- Darren Rovell (ESPN) Poll shows Patriots most disliked NFL team, ahead of Cowboys.
- John Steigerwald (Indiana Gazette) Commentary: Pros need to show respect in public.